Friday, September 28, 2012

Not only have e-books brought a whole new dimension to the publishing world, but now books can be released in stages. It used to be that a book was published in print, and that first print run was the first initial launch. You only got one chance to launch your book and that was it. Now things are changing and books are being released in stages, and so our book launches will need to reflect the same timing scale.

For instance, there are several small publishers who might first release a book as an e-book, and later if the sales do well, they will release it as a print book. My first two books were released as print, then e-books, and most recently as audio books through iTunes. With these changes, we need to begin thinking differently about our promotional strategies.

Those who are clinging to traditional promotional strategies that were strong when print books were King in the market will soon find themselves behind the times and losing ground, if they aren't already experiencing it. Don't get me wrong, traditional promotion will always be necessary and prominent, but it will come to hold a different place in the scheme of things.

A perfect example of this is traditional book tours where authors host book signings versus online book tours. More authors are hosting online book tours, Facebook and Twitter parties, blog scavenger hunts, and video conferencing. They are cutting back on the expense of traveling around to physical book stores, readings excerpts, and signing books. Online book stores are easier on both the author and the readers.

It can be attended right from the comfort of their home, doesn't require expensive lodging, flights or gas mileage. The online attendance is often much better than a physical book store because readers are also in the comfort of their home where their children can continue to play, spouses can take over a other duties for dinner and baby sit while readers take a few moments to participate in the online book launch party. It isn't necessary for them to get the kids dressed, miss a church or school PTA function, and drag themselves across town or to the nearest town with a book store.

It's perfectly acceptable for the author to plan an e-book launch, then when the book comes out in print, plan a traditional book launch. If you know the dates ahead of time you can create a book launch campaign that includes these various stages. In my case I had no idea my book was about to come out on iTunes. My publisher sent an email out on the loop. In that case, I couldn't pre-plan so I simply tweeted and posted the news on Facebook, Google+ and LinkedIn.

My advice is to begin planning as soon as you can, jot down some ideas, do some research on cost, timing and the logistics on carrying out the plan. Form a realistic budget and stick to it. Be reasonable about the amount of time and energy you will be able to devote to it. If you need to hire a publicist to do a few things that you cannot do yourself or you don't have time to do, create a plan for what you CAN do and a different plan for what you expect your publicist to do. Then research publicists, talk to a few and find someone that you feel comfortable doing business with.

Remember, think of your book launch campaign as something that will happen in stages. Times have changed.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Most
publishers like to know there is a series possibility with a project but that
it can stand alone. I encourage people when they first start writing a project
to decide a series concept for a couple of following books right then. You
don’t need more than a nice sized paragraph on the overall concept to put in a
“series potential” section in your proposal, but it’s good to have it right
from the beginning and it’s even better to have the concepts in the back of
your mind from the beginning.

For one
thing it can help you set up a following book as part of your writing task if
you have them in mind.You may have
ideas that do not fit within the project that you are working on but might fit
in one of the other books and you can toss them in a file for the book to use
if and when you start on it.

You can
make sure you have the necessary characters for series books in the first one
and can make sure they are set up correctly and can make sure the over-riding
theme is established. Doing these things will add depth to the book that you’re
working on even if the series does not materialize and it is fated to be a
stand alone.

I told
one lady not to use the word ‘trilogy.’ A publisher is then being presented
with taking three books or none at all. If they are presented with a stand
alone that has series potential they can take the one book, they can decide to
take all three (and maybe get the second and third cheaper than if the first
book is successful) or they can take the first one and option the other two and
wait to see if the first book is successful. Or the publisher can decide to do
the book as a trilogy. I prefer them to be the one to decide that instead of
pitching it that way. Giving them these choices makes the project much more
attractive to an editor.

A
publishing house invests money developing an author, and they are more open to
doing that if they can be sure there is more in the pipeline to justify the
effort and expense.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

We interrupt today's programing for this announcement: (last weeks author reveal is below-please checkit out) The Carol Awards are ACFW's recognition for the best Christian fiction
published by traditional publishing houses in the previous calendar
year.

Congratulations to all of the winners but especially to Suzanne Woods Fisher for winning the Long Contemporary Fiction slot with her title The Search, published by Revell
Suzanne is Joyce Hart's client.

We will return to our regularly scheduled program of First pages next week.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

How
much can you cut from a published novel—and still have it reflect
the original story?

I've
pondered that as I've been acquiring audio books for an upcoming road
trip to Phoenix, Arizona. I plan to attend a book-collector's
convention, so all summer I searched at garage sales and thrift
stores for audio books by the authors who will be attending.

The
main author has been writing since the mid 1970s, so many of his
books were published on audio cassettes. (I drive one of the last
cars built with a cassette player.) An interesting thing about those
books on tape: while a version with the entire text of a novel
contains twelve cassettes, the audio versions of some of his earlier
books contained just four. If there was comparable time on each
cassette, then only a third of the text made it onto tape.

I
can't blame just the cassettes. I've acquired some similar novels on
CD that came with five disks. But when I looked in the library for
audio books by the same authors, they contained twelve and even
fifteen.

If
you had to cut two-thirds or even half from your novel, what would
you omit—and what would be left? Listening to the five-disk version
of Jack Du Brul's adventure novel Havoc,
I was shocked to realize the entire opening chapter—fifteen pages
dramatizing a maguffin-carrying passenger's experience on the final
flight of the German airship Hindenburg—was
gone.Better
than nothing, yet in some ways like the false-front buildings on the
street of a movie set. If you want sub-plots, don't listen to a
shortened audio version.

But
this past week I did see one book on cassette whose short original
length meant the full version could be presented on just a few
tapes—even if the labeling did make me shake my head:

Monday, September 24, 2012

Sitting in front of my computer, I’m half listening to the bullriding championships on the small tv that sits on a stand next to my desk. I like noise when I’m working unless I’m reading. But I digress.

As I watch these fellas getting bucked off, I wonder just what makes them hop back on again? Because the next time I watch, there’s the same guy with optimism all over his face ready to go one more time in spite of the aching joints and gouge marks in his skin.

One of the bulls just stumbled and is now on probation for life. If he ever stumbles onto a rider again, he’ll be banned from the rodeo. (I didn’t know they had such strict guidelines for the bulls) Anyway, when he stumbled, he kicked the rider in the gut as I sat here mesmerized wondering whether or not the rider would get back up. HE DID!

What about riding bulls has me so enthralled? I can tell you in one word: writers! Now, a lot of you athletes out there will laugh at this, but tell me what’s not the same?

In the arena at the rodeo:

Bullrider puts all his ability out there, rides the snot spewing bull or gets kicked in the gut and walks away in pain.

At an appointment at a writers’ conference:

Writer puts all his ability out there, meets with the snot spewing editor/agent (oh, my, I hope not) and either gets an offer or gets kicked in the gut and walks away in pain.

I have finally found my connection to bullriders. They are like writers. They endure great gouges of pain to get up, brush themselves off, and climb on the bull again.

And who walks away with the prize? The rider/writer who knows that the secret is to keep climbing back on until you ride it out and walk home with the trophy.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

My dad was involved in politics for a while, and I would from time to time go with him when he got to see the biggies. I was awestruck. He always told me not to be intimidated by anyone.

So don’t be intimidated by Terry, y’all. He puts his Stetson on just like everybody else.

Only, that’s not what my dad said. He said, “Just remember, Dolly, everyone pulls up their pants the same way. Nobody’s different than anyone else.”

(I just thought the Terry analogy was a bit nicer).

A lovely lady just told me that when she first met me, as agent Linda, not as good old normal Linda, that she was intimidated by me. ME!?! I had a student in karate class YEARS ago, tell me the same thing. Said she thought I chewed nails for breakfast. YIKES! What an image to be portraying. No wonder the dentist has to work so hard.

Writers need to understand they should walk boldly up to whichever agent or editor they choose, and remember, they are no different. They have all the hopes and dreams, fears and realities of everyone else.

They are neither more or less important in the scheme of things. We are all part of the industry that we love. Agents and editors want the chance to get to know you as well. Or they should. If not, they’re in the wrong biz.

I still didn’t know
what was happening, but in that instant I figured the old woman was right. Only
seventeen years old—and I was about to die.

Yellow oxygen masks
dropped from the overhead bins. Just as I reached for mine, a final explosion
practically blasted my ears off. Just that fast, the airliner was gone! Instead
of airplane, I glimpsed alternating blue sky, brown earth, and tumbling
wreckage as my body somersaulted through icy air. My lungs gasped for breath.

In terror I shut eyes and
uttered a final prayer: “God! I’m yours!”

WOULD YOU READ ON?

Last weeks contributor was published author Marlene Banks. Marlene takes true moments in Black American history and brings these unknown stories to light by wrapping them in fiction. Her third title releases Oct 1st and is titled Greenwood and Archer. Greenwood and Archer continues the story from Son of a Preacherman, a Feb 2012 release. Connect with Marlene at her FB page.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

“Never
use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used
to seeing in print.”
—George Orwell

I've
considered that advice this past week as I've been reformatting some
curriculum for the writer's group I work for part time.

In
a lesson on writing style, the course advises:

“Good
writers try to get out of the way of their own messages. They don't
try to impress with beautiful words, nice turns of phrase, or fancy
sentences that draw attention to their writing ability. … If a
sentence draws attention to itself or to the writer, it has to go.”

It's
a fine balance—avoiding cliched expressions and finding fresh
metaphors that communicate powerfully, but also subtly. This past
week I've been re-reading
Stephen King's massive novel 11/22/63—taking
the time to appreciate some of the nuances of his craft.

Here
are some of his well-turned phrases I discovered on my second
reading:

●In
small towns certain names seem to sprout like dandelions on a lawn in
June. (p 126)

●.
. . ordered a shore dinner, which came with clams and a lobster
roughly the size of an outboard motor. (pp 126-127)

●.
. . the color of water beneath a sky from which snow will soon fall.
(p 152)

●.
. . flooded the room with enough fluorescent light to take out an
appendix by. (p241)

Monday, September 17, 2012

Since you don’t hear from me very often, I thought I
would bring you up to date on what is happening at the Pittsburgh office,
besides the day to day activities.

I was able to attend the ICRS in Orlando in
July.Kathy, my assistant here in the
Pittsburgh office went with me.I
couldn’t have done the conference without her.We had a great time.We roomed
with Diana Wallis Taylor, one of my clients. I met with 26 editors in two
days.Since I hadn’t been to ICRS the
last two years, it was good to reconnect with editor friends and to meet a
couple new ones. It was also great to see many other friends on the convention
floor.Kathy heard “Joyce & I go
waay back.” quite a few times.I think
my first CBA Convention was in 1980.

My
birthday was in August and I got three birthday cakes.I’m watching carbs now.

Many
friends sent cards and messages on Face Book.It is nice to be remembered.Thanks to all.

Now
I’m getting ready for the ACFW which is only two days away.I’m having a dinner for my clients and their
spouses. It will be at The La Hacienda in Colleyville, TX at 7:00 pm on
Wednesday, September 19.The manager of
the restaurant says it is about 10 minutes from the airport.Terry is having a get together for his
clients on Friday night at the hotel.At
last count I will have 21 authors attending the conference. That’s only the
jhart authors, not the whole agency. Terry will have 19 authors there.

If you write fiction, I cannot recommend this
conference highly enough.You will have
the opportunity to network with other authors, connect with editors and attend
many good workshops.

MEET THE HARTLINE AGENTS

Joyce Hart, Owner and principal agent

Joyce Hart, owner and principal agent of Hartline Literary Agency has been a literary agent for more than a decade. She was formerly the vice president of marketing of an inspirational publishing company and as the president of Hartline Marketing has nearly thirty-two years of successful experience marketing and promoting books. Joyce has been a pioneer in selling high-quality fiction to the inspirational market and has built an excellent rapport with leading inspirational publishers. A member of ACFW, and the National Association of Professional Women, Joyce is a graduate of Open Bible College, Des Moines, IA now merged with Eugene Bible College in Eugene, Oregon. Joyce is based at Hartline Literary's Pittsburgh headquarters.

Diana Flegal, Agent

Diana currently lives in Asheville NC. A Bible College major in Missions and Anthropology, Diana has been a medical missionary to Haiti, a women's speaker and bible study leader. One of her life's highlights has been teaching apologetics to high school students as preparatory for college. Avid reader and intuitive editor, Diana's represents nonfiction and well written fiction. She has a passion for getting great writers published.

Jim Hart, Agent

Jim Hart is looking for authors who can write unique and engaging fictional suspense, romance, women’s fiction, historical fiction and some sci-fi. Jim is also interested in non-fiction regarding church growth, Christian living, and self-help. Keep in mind that non-fiction topics require a certain level of credentials, experience and expertise. The author will need an appropriate platform to present a non-fiction proposal.

Currently Jim is not looking at children’s, young adult or Biblical fiction proposals.

He holds a degree in Production Journalism and worked for twenty years in direct mail advertising before taking a job with an urban social services agency, where he worked for twelve years. All during his professional career, Jim has served with the local church doing youth ministry and music/worship ministry. He is a credentialed minister with the Assemblies of God, and serves part-time as Worship Pastor in his local church in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Linda Glaz, Agent

Linda is an experienced editor, reviewer and writer, and for a couple of years was a final reader for Wild Rose Press, then for White Rose Publishing and she worked as an editorial assistant for Hartline Agent Terry Burns. She has judged for numerous contests including the Genesis for the American Christian Fiction Writers, as well as the Emily Award for the West Houston Chapter of the Romance Writers of America. She has been on the faculty for Faithwriters.com annual conference, Maranatha, and is slated for numerous others in 2013. Linda understands writers because she's a writer herself with 4 books releasing in 2013.linda@hartlineliterary.comhttp://lindaglaz.blogspot.com/

Andy Scheer, Agent

Andy has a wealth of experience as a publishing professional with over 18 years as the managing editor of Moody Magazine, 8 years as the managing editor for the Christian Writer’s Guild, and as a free-lance writer and editor. He is a frequent instructor at writing conferences around the country. A journalism graduate from Colorado State University, he also attended Denver Seminary. Andy is a consummate professional and will be a great addition to the Hartline team.